


GETTING BY

by OnlyOneWoman



Series: Neighbours & Flatmates [10]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballet, Escort Service, Falling In Love, Foot Massage, Foster Care, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Homophobia, Love, M/M, Neighbors, Prostitution, Relatives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 21:00:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9023254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyOneWoman/pseuds/OnlyOneWoman
Summary: This is the tenth part of a new piece with A LOT of Black Sails characters in modern time. I have some chapters done already, but I'm really not sure how it will end up. Some characters will be closer to the real Black Sails personalities, while I've taken some liberties with others. We will get to know florists, religious nuts, university teachers and a psychologist living in the same house in Southampton. Some characters will be blood relatives, some will be lovers, a lot of them are neighbours and even though Billy Bones is the main character, there will be a lot of side stories to his.This part is all Billy and John. Almost.





	1. Body Control (Friday Night)

”Please, dad, do you really need me there?”  
”Sorry, kiddo, but your cousin is dying to see you and you haven’t met her in two years.”  
”Oh, I don’t mind seeing _her_.”  
”It’s just dinner, Billy and you can leave as soon as we’ve had tea. Do this for me, please.”  
”Alright, I’ll come, but I’ll pray for aunt Carol to break a leg or get ill and don’t make it.”  
”Haven’t seen her in two years, kiddo, and maybe she’s changed. Anyway, she’s your aunt.”  
”Oh, tell that to her. And I seriously fucking doubt she’s changed.”  
”Don’t talk about your aunt like that, boy!”  
”Boy? I’m thirtyone, old man.”  
”Billy, please don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Just brush it off.”  
”As always…”  
”Exactly. Four o’clock Saturday.”  
”I’ll be there.”  
”And behave.”  
”I always behave! It’s she who doesn’t. I swear, dad, if she’s pulling too much crap this time, I don’t care how long it was since you met her. Or do you expect me to just smile and nod at anything she says, huh?”  
”I didn’t say that, but don’t start a quarrel immediately.”  
”And I usually do that?”  
”No, you don’t. Look, could we end this conversation now?”  
”Sure.”  
”See you tomorrow then?”  
”Of course.”  
  
No mention of Ned or the letters. Not that Billy was surprised and to be honest, he wasn’t very keen of taking it all on phone. And maybe it was better to get rid of that stupid dinner before talking about the letters.  
  
***  
  
”I’ll tell you, he’s lost.”  
”Oh yeah? What proof do you have this time?”  
”He’s cooking for him.”  
”So? He’s cooking for you too.”  
”Yes, but he’s had John over for dinner every single night for a week.”  
”Oh… That’s a little over the top.”  
”Not that I’m complaining. That dude is a nice dinner company, but I’d like to know why they’re doing this. Billy doesn’t even text him, he just shows up exactly seven o’clock every night and eats. And Billy just says something about ’a deal’ that I can’t figure out.”  
”You think they’re fucking?”  
”Not if Billy doesn’t sneak out in the middle of the night and comes back again before I wake up.”  
”Maybe John climbs up to his window.”  
”Wouldn’t surprise me. Oh, here he comes.”  
  
Ben put a finger over his lips and rose from the bed. He and Jacob had been off early this evening and spent some time in Ben’s room, talking rubbish, as Ben would put it. He didn’t want to admit it, really, but he liked just hanging with Jacob, doing nothing special and end up having stupid conversations. When Billy’d declared he would be cooking for a time, Ben was almost certain it had something to do with his roommate being miserable over Ned Low again and needed some distraction. And maybe he was right, ’cause John Silver certainly seemed to make Billy think less about that bastard.  
  
”Ben?”  
”Come in.”  
  
Billy hesitated as he saw Jacob.  
  
”Oh, I didn’t want to disturbe.”  
  
Ben smiled.  
  
”You didn’t. What’s up?”  
”Um… I’m making dinner for us. You want some too?”  
”For you and John?”  
”Yeah.”  
”If it’s alright with you then…”  
”Then Ben and I will go out for a pizza.”  
  
Jacob interrupted his fuckbuddie with an even bigger smile and Ben had a hard time not to laugh. Billy just looked puzzled.   
  
”What’s with you two?”  
”Nothing. What’s with you and John? Did his kitchen collapse or something?”  
”Why? You don’t want him here?”  
  
Billy sounded defensive and Ben shook his head.  
  
”I’m only teasing you, Billy. But Jacob’s right. I think we’ll leave you two alone tonight. Come on, babe.”  
”It’s babe now, is it?”  
  
Now it was Billy’s turn to tease and to his great pleasure, Ben blushed a little and Jacob smiled while heading out to the hall and grabbing his jacket. Billy smiled at Ben and recieved a slap on the ass for the teasing.   
  
”Give John a kiss from me, will you?”  
”You wish.”  
  
***  
  
It is the same tune, played from John’s computer. Calm piano music, then an instrument Billy doesn’t recognize, very smooth. The curlyheaded man moves like he’s floating, his feet in a new pair of shoes. Has he bought new ones just for this? No, that’s impossible! But they look new. Black satin with black straps beautifully shaped around the feet. He doesn’t wear jeans, but a pair of what looks like loose, dark grey jazz pants and a simple, black tank top.   
  
Billy is staring and this time he has every right to do so. He’s sitting on a pillow at the floor, leaning his chin and arms on his knees, just following John’s moves over the floor. Billy may be a silversmith, but he’s never been particularly interested in art in general. His clumsy body never tempted him to dance, and as so many other boys, he couldn’t make himself cut loose in that way as a teen. Like, no way. Dancing is for queers and if he doesn’t dance, he can’t be queer, right?   
  
The sight of John, his straight, but soft posture, the line from his feet and the hair in a braid not to fall in his face, is like no other thing Billy’s seen before. It’s a body in full control and yet so light in it’s moves. It’s as if nothing but the dance exists for John, but he’s not shutting Billy out, he’s inviting him. He’s consumed by the dance, and wants it to consume Billy as well. It’s not a ”look at me” performance, it’s a rare moment of sharing something that John, if Billy is reading him right, hasn’t shared with anyone for a very long time.   
  
When the music ends, John finishes off in a soft posture, right in front of Billy, with a smooth bow. Billy can hardly breathe, he’s flushed just like the first time and can’t control his eyes. John smiles.  
  
”Well? Is it worth a foot rub?”  
  
He just nods. Hell yes, it is. _Foot rubs, dinners… is there anything more I could do for you?_ Billy’s never seen anything or anyone prettier than John floating over the floor and when the feet land in his lap, his hands are almost shaky. John’s feet look sore with blisters and small wounds, taped around the toes and Billy makes a little sound at the sight.  
  
”God… I didn’t know you could get that sore.”  
”You should’ve seen them a year ago. Now they’re just unused.”  
”You were beautiful… It was beautiful.”  
”Thank you.”  
  
Focusing on John’s feet makes it a bit easier to get rid of the blushing. John’s blue eyes are not teasing, but nontheless challenging and Billy feels vulnerable under them.  
  
”You’re a strange guy, Billy.”  
”I know.”  
  
_And so are you, John Silver._   
  
”I take it you don’t have a boyfriend.”  
”I don’t.”  
”Weird.”  
”How’s that?”  
”Because you’re such a gentleman and have a body to die for.”  
”Whatever.”  
”Oh, come on, Billy. I know you’re not vain, just take the compliment.”  
  
He blushed and shrugged.  
  
”You’re not hard on the eyes either.”  
”I’m a slut.”  
  
Oh, God. Oh, God. Why on Earth did he say that?! Billy stopped rubbing the feet and swallowed.  
  
”Fuck, I don’t know why I… I’m sorry, John.”  
”I’m worse.”  
”What?”  
”You may be a slut, but I’m a whore.”  
”So was my mom.”  
  
What the actual fuck? This was… by far the most strange conversation he’d ever had with anyone. The starred at each other, John’s feet were still in Billy’s lap. The curlyheaded man bit his lip.  
  
”You’re serious?”  
”Yeah. Never met her, but she was a known hooker. Have no idea wich one of her punters who’s responsible for making me.”  
  
John had a very strange look on his face and Billy expected him to draw back, but instead he took his feet off Billy’s lap and scooted closer, with his legs over Billy’s lap.   
  
”You’re a silversmith, right?”  
”Yeah.”  
”But you’re alright with cooking for a whore, watching him dance and rub his feet?”  
”I don’t judge you. We all do what we have to get by. How is it any better to sleep with an ex who was a gang member who punched me and made me miserable, just because I felt lonely and couldn’t say no?”  
”Billy, listen to me: I’m a whore.”  
”You told me that. Lasagna?”  
”What?”  
”Lasagna for dinner tonight?”  
  
John suddenly looked very soft and swallowed.  
  
”You really don’t mind?”  
”It’s your life. Just… be careful. You want lasagna or not?”  
”That sounds great.”


	2. A Whore’s Son (Saturday Afternoon)

”So, Billy, are you still into that jewellry thing?”  
”Silver forging. Yes, I am.”  
”Imagine it’s still possible to make a living out of that…”  
  
Billy forced himself to smile.  
  
”I actually have too much work sometimes. More and more people want costume designed wedding rings and gifts.”  
  
Hal nodded.  
  
”He’s really good, Carol. Remember that boat he did for my sixtieth birthday?”  
”Of course I do. A really sweet little piece. Oh, I don’t doubt you’re good, Billy, I just wonder about the amount of orders you’re getting. It’s hardly everyday goods. Can’t imagine you have much to do besides weddings and christenings.”  
”Why? Are you worried about my economy?”  
”Billy…”  
  
Hal looked tense, but Billy was about to get really annoyed now. They were only halfway through the roast beef and he was already under aunt Carol’s microscope. So far she’d complained about his looks (”too much stubble”, ”too many necklaces”, ”too worn out jacket”), his living situation (”too old to have flatmates”, ”too expensive to live so central when there were cheaper apartments if you weren’t fussy”) and if he knew his aunt right, his lack of a girlfriend was next on the list… Billy took a sip of his beer and tried to calm down. Aunt Carol, as usual, didn’t notice anything, but kept talking.  
  
”Oh, not at all. I’m only saying it’s not every child in your… situation, that got this opportunity, Billy.”  
”What situation?”  
”I remember I told you, Hal, it wasn’t a very good idea to take in a boy that old, but I must say you did a good job, considering his background.”  
  
Hal put his fork down and looked very firmly att his sister.   
  
”Carol, believe me when I say this: I couldn’t be more proud of Billy. He’s worked hard and his skills with his work is entirely his own doing. More steak?”  
”No thank you, I’m good.”  
”Pete?”  
”I could take another slice.”  
  
The dinner could’ve been quite alright, if it wasn’t for aunt Carol. Her husband Peter, Billy’s uncle, was more like Hal and didn’t get start to question people. Oh, besides Billy, of course.   
  
”Do you have a girlfriend yet, Billy?”  
”As always, no.”  
”Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”  
  
Great. Cousin Sarah, ten years old.   
  
”Because I don’t want to have a girlfriend, Sarah.”  
”Why?”  
  
Fuck this shit. She was ten, not five.  
  
”Because I don’t fall in love with girls.”  
  
Carol coughed.  
  
”Maybe we should change the subject.”  
”But why…”  
”Because your cousin hasn’t met the right girl yet, sweetheart.”  
  
Billy’s face expression must’ve been very easy to read for anyone but aunt Carol, because Hal cleared his throat and looked at Sarah.  
  
”You see, that’s not true, Sarah. I once thought so too, but I was wrong.”  
”Hal…”  
  
Aunt Carol narrowed her eyebrows, but her brother ignored her.  
  
”Billy falls in love with boys, not girls.”  
”Why?”  
  
Billy’s anger melted away like nothing, as soon as his dad had started talking, and he just kept silent and waited.   
  
”Well, some boys fall in love with other boys and some girls fall in love with other girls. And your cousin falls in love with boys.”  
”Oh.” Sarah looked at Billy again. ”Do you have a boyfriend?”  
”No, I don’t, but I’d like to have one.”  
”Me too!”  
  
Both Billy and Hal laughed at that and Sarah looked puzzled again.  
  
”But if you don’t fall in love with girls, then you can’t meet the right girl. Right, mom?”  
  
Aunt Carol looked all but amused.  
  
”Sometimes people can change, Sarah.”  
”But I wont.”  
  
Billy glared at her.  
  
”Carol, honey, I think it’s time we change this subject.”  
  
Uncle Peter, who was the one responsible for bringing up the subject at all, looked like he regretted that decision and Billy, in a better mood now thanks to his little cousin, decided to not push it. Instead he took the pot with potatos and reached it over to Sarah.  
  
”Would you like some more potatos, cousin?”  
”Yes, please. But just a small one. I’m on a diet.”  
  
All the adults at the table looked horrified and Billy looked at his little cousin.  
  
”Why are you on a diet, Sarah?”  
”Because… I don’t know. The other girls are.”  
”I see. Do you know why they are on a diet?”  
”So I don’t get fat, of course.”  
  
In his eye corner, he could see Carol on her way to say something and Hal raising his hand to stop her. Billy put the pot down.  
  
”You know, Sarah, when I was around thirteen or fourteen, I didn’t like my body at all.”  
”Why not?”  
”I was so clumsy all the time.”  
”Clumsy?”  
”Uh-huh. Like a big puppy.”  
  
Sarah laughed.  
  
”A puppy?”  
”That’s right. Don’t you agree, dad?”  
  
Hal nodded and blinked at the girl.  
  
”Oh, you should’ve seen him, Sarah. He was really clumsy.”  
”But then I got a little older and I figured it didn’t matter that I was clumsy. I liked my body anyway. And you’re playing soccer, right?”  
”Uh-huh.”  
”I you’re not going to quit?”  
”Never!”  
”Well, you can’t play soccer unless you eat properly. You don’t want to drop down in the middle of a game, because you didn’t eat, right?”  
”No.”  
”Who’s your favourite player? Marta?”  
”Yeah! And Casey Stoney and Birgit Prinz! She was awesome, but she’s retired now.”  
”She was a real pro. And you know, if you’re gonna have a chance to play as good as Marta, Stoney and Prinz, you have to eat. If you don’t eat, you don’t get strong leg muscles and you can’t be a soccer pro with legs like toothpicks.”  
  
Sarah giggled a little and Billy nodded at her plate.  
  
”Wanna eat like a soccer pro?”  
”Yeah.”  
  
Billy filled her plate again and his cousin dug in with her usual appetite. They ate in peace, thank God, as the three oldest around the table talked about house mortgages, gossip about other relatives and their jobs. Billy and Sarah both finised earlier, and the ten year old almost jumped on her chair.  
  
”Billy?”  
”Yeah?”  
”Can we go out an practice later?”  
”Of course. Think I have a football laying around here somewhere.”  
”Oh, I brought mine.”  
”You did?”  
”Just in case.”  
  
Sarah grinned. Billy looked at Hal who nodded.  
  
”You wanna practise your left?”  
”Yeah! I’ve gotten better. Can we play now?”  
  
Aunt Carol shook her head.  
  
”We’ve not had pudding yet, Sarah.”  
”But…”  
”That’s enough. You want pudding, don’t you? And besides, Billy might not want to play right now.”  
”Oh, let them go, Carol!”  
  
Uncle Peter cut off and two seconds later, Sarah jumped up and headed for the door.  
  
”You coming, Billy?”  
”Coming.”  
  
Billy rose with a smile and put his and Sarah’s plates away. Right before he left to join his cousin, who was already outside, he stuck his head in the doorway to the kitchen and gave aunt Carol his most angelic smile.  
  
”You know Casey Stoney is a dyke, right?”  
  
***  
  
”Billy…”  
”If you want an apology, you’ll be waiting a fucking long time, just so you know.”  
  
Playing soccer with Sarah had been quite fun. The kid had more energy than a whole school class combined and Billy was all sweaty when his uncle came out and said it was time to leave. Sarah had hugged him and made him promise they’d see Arsenal Ladies play sometime. Now, Billy was sitting on the backporch, as Hal came out. He had blanket with him, that he draped around his son.  
  
”I’m the one who should apologies, kiddo. And your aunt.”  
”Wanted to punch her.”  
”Me too. Thank you, for being so good with Sarah.”  
”She’s a smart kid.”  
”You two are much alike. She looks up to you.”  
”Are you sure she’s really their daughter and not a changeling?”  
  
He sounded hard, harder than he’d intended. And bitter. The feeling of uncertainty that never really disappeared was so easily awoke in the company of Hal’s younger sister. People like Billy should always remember to be grateful, to remember how _lucky_ they were for not being left in the gutter… Lucky for Hal even keep in contact with him, when he wasn’t obliged to…  
  
”Hey, kiddo…”  
”I can’t brush it off, dad! I can take the shit talk about my job, my apartment, my looks and even my fucking orientation, but not that ’despite my background’ shit. I know I’m _literally_ a son of a whore, but that’s hardly my fault!”  
  
Great. So now he was crying. Again. What the hell had happened to him these last weeks? Hal stroke his hair. For some reason, his dorky dad never seemed to think Billy was too old for that gesture.  
  
”Your mom didn’t have an easy life, Billy. I know you don’t want to talk about her, but just because she wasn’t mother material, doesn’t mean she was a bad person, you know.”  
”She was a bloody hooker.”  
”People sometimes need to take drastic measures to survive. And Celie was barely seventeen.”  
  
Celie Manderly. To recall a mother he couldn’t remember was a dead end, as always. Hal hold an arm around his shoulders.  
  
”You’re not the one to be grateful, Billy. I am. And I’ve never really thought about how my… opinions may have sounded.”  
”Opinions?”  
”About you being gay. I’m not gonna pretend I was happy when you told me, but I didn’t dislike it either. It’s not for me to have an opinion about that.”  
”And you figured that out… now? Tonight? After more than _ten years_?”  
”Sounds a little strange, I guess.”  
  
Billy shook his head.  
  
”Yeah, kinda strange, yes.”  
”Are you seeing someone? I mean, do you have a proper boyfriend?”  
”No boyfriend.”  
”But you’re seeing someone?”  
”Yeah, there’s someone…”  
  
A whore.  
  
”You’re in love with him?”  
”What? Where did these questions came from?”  
”If you don’t want to answer it’s…”  
”No, it’s not that. I’m just a little surprised. You’ve never asked before. Not _that_.”  
  
He blushed and Hal noticed, of course.  
  
”Oh, you’re in love, alright.”  
”He’s not a gang member or even Irish. In case you wondered.”  
”What is he, then?”  
”An aussie. Twentynine with curly hair. Works as a caretaker of some sort.”  
”Alright.”  
”And he’s burning down the kitchen if he tries to cook, he’s a former ballet dancer and my neighbour.”  
”Well… compared to that Irish bastard, he sounds like a catch.”  
  
Billy laughed through his tears.  
  
”Are you ever gonna stop comparing every guy to Ned?”  
”Probably not.”  
”Still shouldn’t have taken the letters.”  
”I know…”  
”But I understand why. Kind of. But I’m a bit pissed. Did you read them?”  
”No.”  
”How do I know that?”  
”Because I still have them. Unopened.”   
” _What?_ ”  
  
Hal shrugged.  
  
”Wanted to protect you, kiddo. Not dig into your private stuff. Well, not more than necessairy.”  
  
***  
  
It wasn’t late when John’s phone rang. Could he take a costumer tonight? A new punt, quite young. Paid better than usual. And when John said yes, because he couldn’t say no this time, he felt miserable. Billy didn’t judge him, shocking as it was, but John could still feel his gentle hands, the friendly eyes. _We all do what we have to get by._   
  
John wanted those hands. Those eyes. And now their touch would disappear again. 


End file.
